As many as desire to make
a good showing in the flesh,
these would compel you
to be circumcised, only that they
may not suffer persecution
for the cross of Christ.
For not even those who are
circumcised keep the law,
but they desire to have you
circumcised that they
may boast in your flesh.
Galatians 6:12-13
This age old problem where men desire to promote their ideas, only by doing so they mislead others so that they may have a showing to the world, both Christian and secular. I know that in the last blog I stated that I would give my comments on Jacobus Arminius's views, and I will, only, I have become aware that you need more tools, tools that will aid you in your examination. This tool will be as though you have stepped into a time machine and going back in time, retracing some steps into the present. Beginning with the onset of the Christian Church some men have attempted to thrust their theology onto the Church, but from where have they obtained and learned their theology? I have faced this theological position in the University I attended and found it to be wanting, yet many students were accepting it as the way for Christians. What is this way? It is called: "Contemplative Christianity." It's foundation is in what is called: "Mystical." Little is said on this teaching, yet, from the beginning it had an affect upon the Church and it is affecting the Church today, so then, we must know what it is and what it teaches, then, we must examine this theological ideology with Scripture. From your understanding of it you can examine both theological positions, Arminius, and Calvin. Here are my notes on Mysticism.
There are two methodologies that many Churches adhere and is to be found in their sermons, and in their practices. The first is: Speculation. In a sense Mysticism is antithetical to speculation, yet there will be found some methods that are the same. Speculation is a thought process that is a conclusion or opinion reached by some form of contemplation, here we find a method that is used by the mystics. Also, speculation assumes that the thinking faculty is that by which we attain knowledge of truth. Furthermore, speculation is a conjecture that forms or expresses an opinion or theory without sufficient evidence of proof. In our examination of the two major theological positions we must determine if either are simply speculative in the suppositions.
Mysticism can be seen in the early Church with such movements as Montanism, the Quakers, Quiteism, and others, and mysticism is a matter of feeling. Many so-called preachers today prey upon the feelings of those listening to them, and this they do in many ways. Some ways are in the songs that are nothing more than little "dittys" that are sung over and over and over, and calls to come forward and accept Jesus Christ, by tears, and shouts, and pleas, over and over and over. Mysticism distrusts reason and teaches that feelings alone are to be relied upon, at least in the sphere of religion. The systems of Mysticism of theology have been constructed in such a way making Mysticism independent of Scripture. In fact these systems of Mysticism have either eliminated or have greatly modified and perverted doctrines of the Bible. Doctrines are what we are studying, so this is important.
We are not to deny that there is great authority that is due to our moral natures in matters of religion, yet, within Mysticism will be found an allowance so that by logical understanding or by reason (Those theories proposed by men as Plato, or Immanuel Kant) men have been led to conclusions that are contrary to Scripture and do violence to our moral nature. It is true that we reason upon things, and that by reason we do come to conclusion to truth, but it is not just reason alone and that our conscience alone is to be relied upon unless our conscience is being led by the Holy Spirit and is according to His word. It is wrong, as that which the Mystics teach, that conscience is much less liable to err than reason, making reason to have the highest authority. The truth is that when reason and conscience are in conflict, real or apparent, our moral nature is stronger, and this is true if our moral nature is being led by the Holy Spirit and the teaching of His word, and not simply our conscience or just by our reasoning. If our reasoning and our conscience is based on God's word then our conscience will assert its authority in spite of all we can do. When we are in absolute subjection to God who is infinite reason and infinite moral excellence, our reason and will reign supreme in our souls.
Mysticism as applied to theology assumes these principle forms: First: Supernatural, in which it is taught that God, the Spirit of God, holds direct communion with the soul. This communion functions by exciting the souls religious feeling and gives it intuitions of truth and enables it to attain a kind, a degree, and an extent of knowledge, and this knowledge is unattainable in any other way. Looking back in time we find that the theory of Mysticism with those called "Christian Mystics" are found in ancient and even in modern times. Christians would have no objection to being called "Mystics" if all that is meant is that the Spirit of God gives illuminating influence. If all that "Mysticism" meant to believers is that it is by the knowledge found in the Scriptures, which is peculiar, certain, and saving; but this is not what is meant in this blog and in my essay.Mysticism in its supernatural form assumes that God by His immediate intercourse with the soul reveals truth and this is done by appealing to feelings, by means, such as ways that many Churches approach evangelism, by music bands playing loud music, and looking as drug infested as many secular bands, etc., or as has been mentioned, by the way of intuitions. In this method truth is revealed independently of the outward teaching of God's word. These Mystical methods speak of an inward light and not the Scriptures that reveals truth and it is this light that we are to follow. In Mysticism by the Natural form, it is not God, but rather, it is by the natural religious consciousness of men, and by this Natural then it is that which is excited and influenced by the circumstances of the individual, so then by the Natural then is that which becomes the source of religious knowledge. It is by this Natural that gives the deeper and purer religious feelings, and a clearer insight into truth.
Now for a look at what problems this Mysticism Methods have that causes concern: This illumination or spiritual intuition is a matter of degree. It is this matter of degree whereby men in different ages and nations under diverse influences have developed different forms of religious thought and different forms of religions; Pagan, Mohammedan, Christian, etc.
The incarnation of Jesus Christ had an effect on the minds of men and their religious feelings were more deeply stirred, those men who gave themselves up to His influence, who had intuitions of religious truth of a higher order than attained ever by any other men. This influence of the appearance of Jesus Christ continues today and all of God's children are its subjects. It is by the authority of the Holy Spirit, by His word, that in proportion to the purity and elevation of their religious feelings, have intuitions of divine things, such as the did the Apostles and what other Christians have enjoyed. It is not by some inward feeling, conjured up by one's own presuppositions, or predeterminations, that are founded on such as is Mysticism.
There are consequences of the Mystical Method. From this theory follows that there are no such things as revelation and inspiration in the established theological meaning of those terms. It must be noted that revelation is the supernatural objective presentation or communication of truth to the mind by the Spirit of God. Yet, by this Mystical theory there is and cannot be, no such communication of truth because religious feelings are providentially excited and that by reason the mind perceives this excitement as truth. It is also true that inspiration, in the Scriptural sense, is the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit which renders its subjects infallible in the communications of truth to others. But, according to the Mystical theory no man is infallible as a teacher because men have revelations and inspiration in different degrees, so that they have no reason to expect them to agree and be perfect, although there are, to them, some who are perfect and are "Apostles." The problem is exacerbated because the Bible has no infallible authority in matters of doctrine. This Mystical method teaches that the doctrinal propositions that are contained in the Bible are not revelations by the Spirit, they are only forms under which men, those Apostles of Jesus Christ, those of Jewish culture gave expression to their feelings and intuitions and not by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and that they wrote the words that were from God. These Mystics teach that men of different cultures, and under different circumstances, would have used other forms or adopted other doctrinal statements. Therefore, by this Mysticism Christianity neither consists in a system of doctrines, not does it contain any such system. For these Mystics Christianity is a life, an influence, a subjective state; or by whatever term it may be expressed or explained. The Mystical Method or theory teaches that it is a power within each individual Christian determining his/her feelings and views of divine things. Consequently the duty of a theologian is not to interpret Scripture, rather, each is to interpret his/her own Christian consciousness to ascertain and exhibit what truths concerning God are implied in his/her feelings toward God, toward Jesus Christ, how their feelings teach concerning sin, redemption, eternal life, etc. Unfortunately, these methods found adherence among some influential and distinguished advocates. It is these methods that have influenced the Church by influencing the thinking of many theologians and have been a major factor in the liberalization of Christianity.
By means of this tool, this understanding of that which has and is influencing the Church we can examine the doctrines that are part of the foundation of Christianity, and determine if those doctrines are Scriptural.
"Come now, and let us
reason together,"
says the LORD, though
your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though the are red like crimson,
they shall be as wool. If you are willing
and obedient, you shall eat the good
of the land.
Isaiah 1:18-19
Prayer, Intercessory Prayer: God will bless
Richard L. Crumb
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